Treatment of Behcet disease with chlorambucil. A follow-up report

Abstract

In Behcet disease the eyes are involved in most cases, and progression to blindness is almost the rule. When the central nervous system is involved, the prognosis for life is grave. In a preliminary report, 11 patients had the disease arrested as a result of treatment with chlorambucil. Some of these patients had long-term follow-up and are included in this report. Nine others received the same treatment, resulting in arrest of the disease in eight and pronounced improvement in one. Long-term follow-up, in some patients for more than five years after arrest of the disease, has not disclosed any recurrence. These results may appear more important if it is noted that blindness in Behcet disease occurs an average of 3.36 years after onset of eye symptoms.